


True Friends

by Tabbyluna



Series: Fictober 2020 [31]
Category: Skylanders (Video Games)
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, Healing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:42:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27301375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabbyluna/pseuds/Tabbyluna
Summary: Whirlwind and Cynder were an odd duo. No one would ever expect them to be friends, yet there they were. Though on the surface they were different, deep down they were more alike than people thought.
Relationships: Cynder & Whirlwind (Skylanders)
Series: Fictober 2020 [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947136
Kudos: 5





	True Friends

**Author's Note:**

> I did it! I finished fictober! Yay!
> 
> Also, this story is dedicated to a few members of the discord. Happy birthday to Eyra and company!

Cynder was never very talkative to anyone. And most assumed that it was just who she was. Most people saw her as kind of scary and intimidating anyways, and generally steered out of her way. Over time, most people (even the other Skylanders) learned to warm up to her. They learned to leave her alone when she wanted to just be by herself, and talk to her when they had something worth talking about. For the most part, the other Undead Skylanders understood that quicker than most other Skylanders from the different elements. But there were some exceptions.

The first exception, and indeed Cynder’s first real friend in the Skylanders, was Spyro. For her first few months with them, he was pretty much the only one she ever talked to; it even took her a while to warm up to other Undead Skylanders. But interestingly enough, the first real friend Cynder made who was neither Spyro nor someone aligned under the Undead element, was Whirlwind.

Whirlwind and Cynder. An odd duo, if the Skylands had ever seen one. On the surface, both were very different from each other. Whirlwind was all blue skies and rainbows, Cynder was all dark and dismal places. Whirlwind was all about cooperation and community. Always helping others with minor problems, even if they were just chores or to settle arguments. Cynder was a loner at heart. Always hanging around by herself, and helping others from the distance by fighting off enemies. Spyro encouraged her to engage with the community more, but at the end of the day she was introverted, and would much rather spend time by herself than with other people.

By all accounts, they shouldn’t have been fast friends. But that was what happened.

Perhaps it was because, beyond the surface, the two of them were very similar. For example, both of them had rather dark and troubled childhoods. Whirlwind used to be bullied for her mixed heritage. Neither unicorns nor dragons wanted anything to do with her. Cynder was stolen as an egg by Malefor, and for her earliest years she was forced to do his evil bidding. Back then, she barely knew right from wrong. Only to obey Malefor, for he was her entire life.

Both also ended up having to learn how to save themselves from their early childhoods. They grew up from within the depths of their adversities. The two of them grew tough. Whirlwind learned from her parents, who loved her unconditionally. Despite the disapproval from both their families. Cynder learned from Spyro. The first person to ever value her as a person, instead of a tool to be used. Both of them might have grown tough from the hatred in their lives, but they grew strong from the love they were eventually shown.

They were both emotional. In different ways, yes, but still very much driven by their hearts. With Whirlwind wearing her heart on her sleeve and always sharing what she felt, and Cynder being driven by her emotions and her heart, without necessarily sharing them with the world. It was a result of the love and hate that they had both experienced in their lives. But became of it, that might have been why they ended up relating to each other so much.

They would spend lots of time together. Sometimes with Spyro as well, but also plenty of time with just the two of them. Their friendship was started with training sessions together. Sparring. They would show off new moves they learned, and test them out on each other. There was this agreement between the two of them, that the two of them should never hold back. Even if one accidentally hurt the other, there were never any hard feelings between them. It was a part of the package deal. And through this form of sparring, they grew stronger, and forged a friendship together.

Their friendship was further developed by spending free time together. Eating meals, watching movies, even the odd board game night with some other Skylanders. They developed tons of in-jokes that way. Sometimes it was outlandish stuff, for example, about how Cynder could always predict what would happen in a horror movie (it was almost like she was psychic!) Or even simple jokes. Like how Whirlwind enjoyed wearing a sock on her horn while she slept. Apparently it kept it warm and it was very comfortable for her to do so.

Those were all fun.

But what elevated their friendship into ‘good friend’ status was the fact that Cynder allowed herself to be vulnerable with Whirlwind. She only let herself be vulnerable around a handful of people. Spyro, Hex, not even Master Eon had managed to achieve this status. But Whirlwind did. And it was something she tried to be responsible with.

Cynder vented to Whirlwind a lot. Talking about all the nasty things which happened when she was young. Traumatic memories of her time under Malefor, caused by Malefor. And Whirlwind listened, occasionally sharing some details about her own life to signal to Cynder that she was not alone.

“It’s tough, you know? I know that Malefor can’t hurt me anymore, but that didn’t stop him from hurting me when he could. So even though I have grown stronger than his ability to hurt me, the scars he caused will always be there.” It was an unfair part of their lives. Whirlwind understood it intimately, carrying scars of her own.

But at the end of the day, this was probably the part of their friendship they cherished the most. There can be as many happy moments with others as they wanted. But they were different, and they were the same. And though their similarities came from them being hurt, they both also recognised the strength they had within each other. To climb out of their hurt and to grow into something better. This formed their camaraderie. This bonded their friendship permanently.

“I’m glad that you’re willing to listen to me here, Whirlwind,” said Cynder. “I don’t like to share them with just anyone. But with you… you get it. And that’s why I trust you.”

Whirlwind smiled, and held her claw in hers. Squeezing it. “I trust you too Cynder,” she whispered. “Thanks for trusting me enough to share your vulnerable side.”

**Author's Note:**

> Friendships are fun to write. And I like how I ended this challenge on a story about one.


End file.
